Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-07-09

United States upon the same for the costs
of surveying, selecting, and conveying the
same, or because no patent has been is
sued therefor; but this provision shall
not apply to lands unsurveyed: Provided,
That any such land sold for taxes shall
be taken by the purchaser subject to the
lien for costs of surveying, selecting,
and conveying, to be paid in such
manner by the purchaser as the Sec
rotary of the interior may by rule
provide and to all liens of the United
States, all mortgages OF the United
States, and all rights OF the United States
in respect of such lands: ProUided further,
That this act shall apply only to lands
situated opposite to and coterminous
with completed portions of said roads, and
in organized counties: Pyozzded further,
That at any sale of lands under the pro-
visions of this act the United States may
become a preferred purchaser, and in
such case the lands shall be restored to
to the public domain and disposed of as
provided by the laws relating thereto.
SEC. 2. That if any railroad corpora
ton required by law to pay the costs OF
surveying, selecting, or conveying any
lands granted to such company or for its
use and benefit by act of Congress shall
for thirty days neglect or refuse to pay
any such costs after demand for payment
thereof by the Secretary of the Interior,
he shall notify the Attorney General, who
shall at once commence proceedings to
collect the same. But when any sum
shall be collected of such railroad COM
pany as costs of surveying, selecting, and
conveying any tract OF land which shall
have been purchased under the provisions
of section one hereof, the Secretary OF
the Interior shall out of such collections
reimburse said purchaser, his heirs or
assigns, the amount OF money paid by
him as the costs of such surveying, select
ing, and conveying.
SEC. 3. That this act shall not affect
the right of the Government to declare or
enforce a forfeiture of any lands so
granted; but all the rights of the United
States to said lands or to any interest
therein shall be and remain as if this act
had not passed, except as to the lien
mentioned in the first section hereof.
SEC. 4. That section twenty-one OF
chapter two hundred and sixteen, ap-
proved July second, eighteen hundred
and sixty-four, is hereby so amended as
that the costs of surveying, selecting, and
conveying therein required to be paid
shall become due and payable at and on
demand therefor made by the Secretary
of the Interior as provided in section
two of this act, and nothing in this act
shall be construed or taken in any wise to
affect or impair the right of Congress at
any time hereafter further to alter, amend
or repeal the said act, as in the opinion
of Congress, justice or the public welfare
may require, or to impair or waive any
right or remedy in the premises now ex-
listing in favor of the United States
This act shall be subject to alteration
amendment, or repeal.
Approved, July 10, 1856.
Did we not believe this law to be good
there would yet be a doubt in our mind
as to whether. Col. Veale endorses his
own letter beyond the limits of revenue
We happen to be familiar with the fact
that railway companies are given to re-
lying on supreme courts instead of legis-
latures, for decisions affecting the pay
ment of taxes. This has been true of
Col. Veale and his company in Kansas.
But it occurs to us to ask whether, in
the event of this law not being good, the
Union Pacific Railway Company, as rep
resented by its tax agent, would have any
probable interest in having lands which
they have sold kept free from taxation.
Certainly, we should think not, unless
such interest arises from disposition to
draw more boldly the already plain line
which has so often separated their inter-
ests and those of the toiling settlers. In
Trego county, according to our informa-
ton, nearly every acre of the railroad
lands have been sold. Perhaps the bulk
of the railroad lands have been sold two
or three times. If, technically, the COM
pany could be instrumental in screening
these purchasers from the payment of
taxes, does it seem that the result would
be worth to the company the necessary
effort?